Anger Management

The loudest sound in the universe is the breaking of a bad habit.

I am a devoted reader of your columns and have learned much from your sage and compassionate counsel.

For some time now, with limited success, I have been working on becoming more even-tempered. I believe that a more structured course of study might be helpful and would appreciate your advice on this matter.

Thank you.

RW

Rebbetzin Feige Twerski's Answer

Dear Reader,

Rabbi Dessler teaches that the human being is comprised of two manifestations of the "I." One is the essential "I," the Godly image within each and every one of us. This is referred to as the soul, the higher part of ourselves.

The other "I" is what we popularly call the ego, what Freud referred to as ‘id.' In a sense, it is the counterfeit "I, the lesser part of us that masquerades as an advocate on our behalf, but can in fact take us far afield into muddy waters.

Hillel, the great sage of the Mishnah, refers to the essential "I" in the following two comments: "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" and "If I am here, everything is here!" Both comments suggest that it is the individual exclusively who must give life and definition to one's loftier, Godly self. Unquestionably, this is achieved by the choices one makes. "If my better self is here" -- in charge, in control, driving my behavior, then "everything is here." If I am not for myself (my essential self) -- giving expression to the purpose of my existence, who will do it?

Anger is a reaction of the ego to a perceived affront, a sense of diminution of its power.

The ego, the lesser self, is prideful, territorial, arrogant and totally absorbed in its desires and wants. Anger is a reaction of the ego to a perceived affront, a sense of diminution of its power. Frequent anger attacks or outbursts should be warning signals to the individual that the lesser part of themselves has taken up too much space and dominion over their person.

Self-righteous rationalizations aside, anger is seldom, with very few exceptions, viewed favorably in Jewish sources. Only the pretense, the feigning of anger, as when one is registering disapproval of children's behavior, is a show of anger deemed appropriate. But the requirement in those situations is that the person, not the anger, is driving the carefully thought-out response. If the anger is driving the person, it will not be emanating from a healthy place and will escalate out of control. Conversely, if the better part of the person is running the show, the anger will be a measured and constructive response.

Rabbi Yitzchak of Vurka, a leader of Polish Jewry about 200 years ago, used to robe himself in a special cloak before presenting himself in an angry mode. For him it was a disciplined act that had none of the impulsivity that renders anger so destructive. Indiscriminate anger is a negative emotion. It distorts personality and upsets mental equilibrium. The Talmud teaches: "When a person gives in to anger, if he is wise, his wisdom leaves him. If he is a prophet, his power of prophecy leaves him; if greatness was decreed for him from Heaven, anger will cause him to be degraded."

Even Moses, the most exalted of human beings, found himself spiritually compromised on the very rare occasions that he succumbed (however justifiably) to anger. "When any man gives way to rage, even the Divine Presence abandons him" (Talmud, Nedarim). Anger has been likened by the Talmud to idolatry, heresy, to serving other gods. Clearly, the message is that when one is in the grips of anger, it is not God, the proprietor of his better self that he is serving. It is his ego that holds him hostage and is dictating the terms of his behavior. The Talmud sums it up with the succinct statement: "Whoever is enraged, all kinds of demons have power over him."

King Solomon, the wisest of all men, cautions us about the mind, body and emotion connection: "Remove anger from your heart (thus) remove pain from your body" (Ecclesiastes), underscoring the fact that the object of the anger is not the only victim who suffers. The bearer of anger is ultimately the greatest loser on every score --spiritually, emotionally and physically.

The Mishnah in Ethics of the Fathers (5:14) enjoins us to "be slow to anger and easy to pacify." The inference of the Mishnah is twofold. Firstly, the Mishnah does not say "never get angry," rather its exhortation is to be slow to anger. It holds out for us a realistic and doable goal: work on getting your anger under control, hence "be slow to anger."

Secondly, the Mishnah's teaching is that a proneness to anger is not an inborn or hopeless trait of character. Our sages teach that while such a temperament might be "something in a man's nature that he is prone to follow; but with a discipline of wisdom, he can gradually free himself from it until his heart changes completely into something new."

Rabbi Israel Salanter, the founder of the Mussar movement (self-growth initiative), often commented that the loudest sound in the universe was the breaking of a bad habit, the pattern of one's character trait, and moving on in a positive direction.

PRACTICAL ADVICE

I would propose the following tools for consideration:

All of our behaviors and expressions of emotions are preceded by thought. Our take on any given situation we confront begins with the way we perceive it. There is no objective reality at play. Witness the fact that one day a given situation undoes us, and the very same set of circumstances doesn't phase us at another time. We are the interpreters. We are the thinkers.

Awareness of this fact should allow us to step back when we have one of the negative thought attacking that sparks anger and ask ourselves if this is the bus we want to take. We have the wherewithal, if we so choose, to drop the contaminating thought and move on, thereby making room for the clear-thinking of our innate wisdom, the better part of ourselves.

A second component of this approach is that generally speaking, when we feel affronted or take offense, it is about "me." I feel targeted, hence my ego is bruised, and the anger is a defense of my ego. In reality, the affront that seems to be personal is rarely about us. The inappropriate behavior of the other which triggers our hurt and subsequent anger generally comes from a place of insecurity in the person who is provoking us. If we are able to recognize this truth, we will find a port in the storm.

Say to yourself over and over again, "This is not about me."

We need to say to ourselves, over and over again, "This is not about me." This is about the insecure place where the combative individual finds himself. Consequently, instead of bringing anger to the scene, we will be able to generate compassion. And in the long run, our psychological well-being will be the greatest beneficiary.

Consider Debbie. She called to tell me that she was at her wit's end. Her son and his very-pregnant wife had moved in with her for the duration of the remodeling of their home. Instead of appreciation and gratitude, all she received from the young woman were outbursts, complaints, and expressions of dissatisfaction. She never knew what to expect, what was coming the next moment. She felt personally attacked and disrespected by the constant barrage of criticism.

Not being a wallflower herself, Debbie responded in self-righteous indignation and the house became a war zone. After we spoke, Debbie got it. She understood that this was not personal. Her daughter-in-law was in an insecure place -- disoriented, dislocated, pregnant for the first time, hormones raging, and to add insult to injury, at the mercy of the good graces of (good God!) her mother-in-law.

I met Debbie a few weeks later and she told me that peace was restored and harmony reigned once again in the home. All because she invoked the phrase that literally became her mantra: "This is not about me."

In human interactions, taking ourselves out of the picture, divesting ourselves of the contaminant of ego and its associated personal thought is empowering. Not only does it allow us to get a handle on angry and damaging responses, it also allows us to do real listening and get what the other person is really about.

Dear reader, you undoubtedly have experienced the fallout of fury, anger and rage. Anger is like a blast of frigid air that withers everything in its path. As you know, an angry person loses his understanding of the simplest things. Rage and hate eat into one's very bones until one's life becomes an abomination and one grows to hate him/herself. In a fit of anger one speaks words that he regrets forever -- family and friends eschew his presence; they fear him. Moreover, he finds himself in a constant state of having to apologize for his folly.

I am confident, dear reader, given your inquiry and your genuine desire to grow and tap into your innate wisdom and resilience, that with time and ever-increasing mastery, your journey will become more and more rewarding. Remember to give yourself credit for your gains. Oftentimes people are more ready to assume responsibility for their flaws than to give themselves credit for their successes. Awareness of success will give you impetus for more successful behavior. Good luck!

About the Author

Rebbetzin Feige Twerski of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has devoted her life to Jewish education and Outreach, giving lectures worldwide on a myriad of Judaic subjects. She is a mother of 11 children, and many grandchildren whose number she refuses to divulge. She serves as the Rebbetzin along side her husband, Rabbi Michel Twerski, of Congregation Beth Jehudah of Milwaukee.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 8

(8)
ישי,
April 6, 2016 7:15 AM

Thank you so much for your sage advice! I looked into so many secular helps on this subject and found no real advice. Until now , you have given me insights to myself that allowed me to repent . Thank you!

(7)
Kate,
March 3, 2015 8:40 PM

thank you

Thank you for this excellent article.

(6)
Habba,
December 26, 2014 2:01 PM

In a stage of hating myself and my family's starting to fear me.

I'm in the stage wherein I've grown to hate myself and I can feel that my family is starting to fear me and I have found myself in a constant state of having to apologize for my folly. Reading this is a great breather. I don't want to be eaten up by this anger. I want to cry out to Hashem. I really want to cry.

(5)
Anonymous,
September 16, 2007 11:05 PM

thanks for the book of anger managment

i enjoyed to read this other comments.and i learnd a lot of this book..

(4)
JanetKastenFriedman,
August 30, 2006 9:36 AM

"Political Anger"

Thank you for the Torah-true and inspiring "Anger Management". I have heard similar things in other places (usually not as concise, to your credit!) and I try to follow the advice you give. I think I am pretty patient, and most people who know me agree, including my husband. I suffer from an anger which I don't know how to overcome. Perhaps you can help me.Last summer's "Disengagement" pushed my "anger button" from the moment it first spewed from Olmert's lips. I believe it was a sin, "dibat haAretz" to give away part of the Land of Israel, in addition to being extremely dangerous to all of us who live here. The July-August 2006 war, in my opinion, proves that we who struggled against the Disengagement were right, and Sharon was wrong to have done it. I know personally many people who have become refugees in our own Land as a result, as well as two people who were sick and died as soon as the expulsion "succeeded". If Olmert "succeeds" in doing what he says he will do, "Convergence", I, who live in a settlement, will be one of the next victims, G-d forbid. I am very angry! I am angry at the Israeli politicians! I am angry at the American and other world politicians! I am angry at the Israeli media, which brainwashed the people into accepting the unacceptable. I am angry at the Israeli psychologists, who taught the troops fancy techniques which enabled them to commit this crime without being bothered by their conscience. I am angry at the Israeli soldiers, even though I know, in my mind, that that's not fair, since most of them had nothing to do with the Disengagement, indeed, many of them were not even in the army yet. I am seething with anger! Every policeman I see reminds me of the beatings in Amona. Every soldier I see reminds me of the ones who dragged their fellow Jews out of their homes. When I water my garden I pray that I will be allowed to continue to do so; when I clean my floor, I thank G-d for granting me this floor, when 8,000 other Jewish women have no floors of their own. When I go to shul, I think of my son's shul, which was destroyed by Israelis, and my machatainister's (may he rest in peace) shul, which was destroyed by Arabs after the Disengagement. Will my shul be similarly destroyed next year, as Olmert promised? I waste too much time on the internet, obsessing over the news.I am, as you can see, pretty sensitive (I've been called over-sensitive many times). That's one of the reasons why I have very little temper; being angry gives me immediate, physical pain. I am in pain now, most of the time for over a year. I want to get rid of this anger, but how can I, when there really is a very objective danger and injustice? And when that injustice threatens to harm me and my family first, and later the rest of the country, and probably every Jew in the world, G-d forbid!A girlfriend of mine, who, like myself, is a Holocaust survivor's daughter, explained to me that if we had REAL yir'at shamayim, we would be able to internalize the belief that "tzorris" is also a gift from G-d, and that political leaders are only puppets in G-d's hands (as it were). Please develop this idea, or any other Torah concept that can be brought "down to earth" into practical usage, to help me with my anger.Thank you.

(3)
Anonymous,
August 25, 2006 12:00 AM

Thank you

Thank you very much. I have noticed myself childishly angry more and more frequently. With Hashem's help, I will use your advice to work on this character trait in this month of Elul.Tizku le'mitzvot!

(2)
Raphael Schwartz, M.D.,
August 20, 2006 12:00 AM

Brilliant, yet concise analysis of "anger'.

How did the Rebbetzin acquire her psychiatric insight?

(1)
Rucha Baumann,
August 20, 2006 12:00 AM

A message of thanks

Yashar Koach and many thanks to Reb. Twerski for her ongoing inspiration. May Hashem continue to bless her with good health and increasing simcha and nachas from her family and 'chassidim'.

My nephew is having his bar mitzvah and I am thinking of a gift. In the old days, the gift of choice was a fountain pen, then a Walkman, and today an iPod. But I want to get him something special. What do you suggest?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Since this event celebrates the young person becoming obligated in the commandments, the most appropriate gift is, naturally, one that gives a deeper understanding of the Jewish heritage and enables one to better perform the mitzvot! (An iPod, s/he can get anytime.)

With that in mind, my favorite gift idea is a tzedakah (charity) box. Every Jew should have a tzedakah box in his home, so he can drop in change on a regular basis. The money can then be given to support a Jewish school or institution -- in your home town or in Israel (every Jews’ “home town”). There are beautiful tzedakah boxes made of wood and silver, and you can see a selection here.

For boys, a really beautiful gift is a pair of tefillin, the black leather boxes which contain parchments of Torah verses, worn on the bicep and the head. Owning a pair of Tefillin (and wearing them!) is an important part of Jewish identity. But since they are expensive (about $400), not every Bar Mitzvah boy has a pair. To make sure you get kosher Tefillin, see here.

In 1944, the Nazis perpetrated the Children's Action in the Kovno Ghetto. That day and the next, German soldiers conducted house-to-house searches to round up all children under age 12 (and adults over 55) -- and sent them to their deaths at Fort IX. Eventually, the Germans blew up every house with grenades and dynamite, on suspicion that Jews might be in hiding in underground bunkers. They then poured gasoline over much of the former ghetto and incinerated it. Of the 37,000 Jews in Kovno before the Holocaust, less than 10 percent survived. One of the survivors was Rabbi Ephraim Oshri, who later published a stirring collection of rabbinical responsa, detailing his life-and-death decisions during the Holocaust. Also on this date, in 1937, American Jews held a massive anti-Nazi rally in New York City's Madison Square Garden.

In a letter to someone who found it difficult to study Torah, the 20th century sage the Chazon Ish wrote:

"Some people find it hard to be diligent in their Torah studies. But the difficulty persists only for a short while - if the person sincerely resolves to submerge himself in his studies. Very quickly the feelings of difficulty will go away and he will find that there is no worldly pleasure that can compare with the pleasure of studying Torah diligently."

Although actions generally have much greater impact than thoughts, thoughts may have a more serious effect in several areas.

The distance that our hands can reach is quite limited. The ears can hear from a much greater distance, and the reach of the eye is much farther yet. Thought, however, is virtually limitless in its reach. We can think of objects millions of light years away, and so we have a much greater selection of improper thoughts than of improper actions.

Thought also lacks the restraints that can deter actions. One may refrain from an improper act for fear of punishment or because of social disapproval, but the privacy of thought places it beyond these restraints.

Furthermore, thoughts create attitudes and mindsets. An improper action creates a certain amount of damage, but an improper mindset can create a multitude of improper actions. Finally, an improper mindset can numb our conscience and render us less sensitive to the effects of our actions. We therefore do not feel the guilt that would otherwise come from doing an improper act.

We may not be able to avoid the occurrence of improper impulses, but we should promptly reject them and not permit them to dwell in our mind.

Today I shall...

make special effort to avoid harboring improper thoughts.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...